Terrance Evans of Brother Rice makes a smooth transition from football to bowling

Every year in mid-to-late November, Brother Rice’s Terrance Evans goes through a transition from the aggression and physicality of football to bowling — a sport that requires relaxation, focus and routine as opposed to sheer grit.

It’s quite the shift in mentality.

“It usually takes me a week or two to smooth back into bowling and get my mind-set right,” Evans said.

Watch Evans on the lanes over the first week or so of the season and you may see him fire a ball the way he fires himself into an opponent as a right tackle and nose guard on the Crusaders’ football squad.

“Usually, I muscle the ball out there a bit too much the first few times out there,” he said. “After about a week, I can get settled down and get focused and start throwing the ball like I should.”

Evans, a senior, is a strong presence in the Crusaders’ lineup.

“He’s bowled for varsity since he was a freshman,” Brother Rice coach Tim Daniher said. “He’s a big part of our team.”

The Crusaders are relying on some young bowlers this season, making Evans’ leadership all the more important.

“We have a lot of young guys that have the talent, but don’t have the direction yet,” Evans said. “I try to step in and give them the direction that they need. I try to help them out as much as I can. I tell them it takes a lot of hard work and dedication to have the success you want to have.”

Evans has been bowling since he was 7 years old.

“My dad introduced me to it, and I fell in love with and have been in love with it ever since,” Evans said.

Evans’ favorite part of the sport is the frustrating chase for perfection.

“I like that you can do something perfect every time and still come out wrong,” he said. “It’s like ‘What is there left?’ You just have to keep repeating what you do, even though the results might not be there, and keep trying to improve your score.”

The Crusaders won the Catholic League last season, a feat Evans is eager to repeat.

Also motivating the team is the fact they missed getting to state by 67 pins last year, finishing third in the Oak Lawn Sectional, where the top two teams advanced.

“We’re pumped,” Evans said. “It’s a tough route through the Catholic League, but we’re confident we can do it again. I want to win conference as a team, conference as an individual, do really well in regional and sectionals and hopefully get to state.”

Evans thinks he has what it takes to finish his high school career in grand fashion.

“Attitude and consistency are two huge things in bowling,” he said. “If you have the right attitude and you’re consistent, you should be fine.”